Fastening for footwear and the like



Aug. 19, 1924. 7 1,505,430

T. R. ROBERTS ET AL FASTENING FOR FOOTWEAR AND THE LIKE Filed April 13 1923 JAM/V7025 8 5 mm ZQM yaw;

Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES isaaise THOMAS RICHARD ROBERTS AND EDMUND FOULKES OW' EN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO,

CANADA; SAID OWEN ASSIGNOR T SAID ROBERTS.

FASTENING FOB rooTwEAa AND TH NIKE.-

Application filed April 13, 1923. Serial No. 631,789.

thread the lace through the eyelets, so that parts of the lace are outsidethe boot and parts inside. The parts of the lace inside the boot, when the boot is tightly laced, are often very uncomfortable. It is also common practice to pass the lace from inside to outside and vice versa between the adj acent edges of the upper of the boot, which prevents the drawing close together of the adjacent edges. hooks instead of eyelets at the topfpart of the upper, but these hooks areobje'ctionable thereby.

The object of our invention is to "devise an arrangement in which the lace is altogether outside the boot, in which the lace may be drawn tight or loosened in a] mini-] mum of time, and in which there will be noparts on which clothing may be caught and torn.

We attain our object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front View of the upper of a boot showing our invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 aside View of one form of loop, the eyelet being shown in section;

Fig. 3 a plan view of the under side of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a perspective view of thepreferred form of loop showing in dotted lines the method of inserting it in the eyelet, and in full lines the position the parts occupy when secured in place; and

Fig. 5 a plan view of the underside of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4.

1 is the upper of a boot, shoe, or the like. and 2 the usual eyelets. In each eyelet is rotatably mounted a lacing member through which the lace is passed. These lacing members may be formed in many diflerent ways, a suitable form being shown in Figs. 2,

It is also common to use.

in that the clothing is often caught and torn and 3, while our preferred form is-shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the lacing member is formed of an integral strip of metal doubled back on itself to form a loop 3. One end of the strip is pro vided with twov projections which are bent downwardly to form securing legs 4, and engage beneath the eyelet, and a lip or tongue 7 forengagement over the eyelet. Theother end of the strip isbent, downwardly to form a securing leg. 5 to also engage beneath the eyelet. This device may simply be secured in position by passing the ends of the legs 4 and 5 through the eyelet and bending them outwardly to en-.

gage; with theundersideof the eyelet. We prefer, howeven to provide a washer 6 be low the eyelet, the washer having a T-shaped slot therein, the leg .5 passing through the head of the T and the legs 4 through the stem, and the ends of thelegs bent tolie flat against the washer as illustrated in Fig. 3. I

In our preferred form shown in Figs. 4, and 5, the lacing member is also formed from an integral strip of metal similar to the blank used in forming the construction previously described. Instead, however, of the projections or legs 4 being bent, the strip itself is bent ;to extend through the eyelet,

and the tongue 7 therefore made somewhat longer in order that it may engage over the eyelet. Thefstrip is doubled back as before to form theloopv 3, and the end of the stem is formed with an enlargement 8. I

This form is first bent into the shape illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and insorted in the eyelet from below. The tongue 7 and'loop 3 are then bent outwardly as indicated in full lines to prevent withdrawal of thedevice in one direction, while the ends of the projection 4 and the enlargement 8 prevent its withdrawal in the other direction. I

It will be understood, of course, that in either form. the lacing members are free to rotate under the action of the lace.

A suitablemanner of lacing is shown in Fig. l, the lace 9 being threaded through two lacing members at one side before being crossed over to theother side. With the lacing members shown, when it is desired to remove the boot, it is only necessary to untie the bow or knot and then draw on the lace at to bring it to the position shown in dotted lines, when the upper may then be easily opened up. When it is desired to lace therefore there is less danger of strain on the material of the boot.

I From the above description it will be seen that'we have devised a construction which will satisfactorily attain the object of our invention as set out in the preamble of this specification. It will be understood, of course, that the loop members may be formed of many differentshapes or ornamented if so desired;

What we claim is I 1. In boots, shoes and other footwear, the combination of a divided upper; a series of eyelets adjacent each meeting edge of the upper; and lacing members rotatably mounted in said eyelets and extending outwardly therefrom, said lacing members having openings therethrough through which a lace may pass, the openings through the lacing members being directed at substantially a right angle to the openings through the eyelets.

2. In boots, shoes and other footwear, the combination of a divided upper; a series of eyelets adjacent each meeting edge of the upper; and lacing members mounted in said eyelets and extending outwardly therefrom, said lacing members having'openings therethrough through which a lace may pass, the openings through the lacing members being directed at substantially a right angle to the openings through the eyelets, each lacing member comprising a strip of metal doubled back on itself to form a loop, one end of said strip having a pair of projections adapted to engage beneath the eyelet and a tongue adapted to engage over the eyelet, theother end of the strip being adapted to also engage beneath the eyelet.

3. In boots, shoes and other footwear, the combination of a divided upper; a series of eyelets adjacent each meeting edge of the upper; and lacing members mounted in said eyelets and extending outwardly therefrom, said lacing members having openings therethrough through which a lace may. pass, the openings through the lacing members being directed at substantially a right angle to the openings through the eyelets, each lacing member comprising a strip of metal doubled back on itself to form a loop. one end of said strip having a pair of projections adapted to engage beneath the eyelet and a' tongue adapted to engage over the eyelet, the other end of the strip having an enlargement adapted to also engage beneath the eyelet.

4. In boots, shoes and other footwear, the combination with an eyelet of a lacing mem ber comprising a strip'of metal doubled back on itself to form a loop, one end of said strip having a pair of projections adapted to engage beneath the eyelet and a tongue adapted toengage over the eyelet,

the other end of the strip adapted to also engage beneath the eyelet.

,5. In boots, shoes and other footwear, the combination with an eyelet of a lacing member comprising a. strip of metal doubled back on itself to form a loop. one end of said strip having a pair of projections adapted to engage beneath the eyelet, and a tongue adapted to engage over the'eyelet, the other end of the strip having an enlargement adapted to also engage beneath the eyelet. 1

Signed 16th day of February, 1923.

Witness: Jnssru Q ivnns'rnn. 

